1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrodes. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems for reversibly attaching an electrode. The present invention is an electrode connection system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrodes are routinely used in medicine and in scientific research. For example, electrodes are used as part of electrocardiograph machines, which monitor heart rhythm, and electroencephalograph machines, which monitor brain activity. For these machines to function properly, their electrodes must be held in contact with the skin throughout the monitoring process. Further, their electrodes must not move from the position on the skin where they were originally attached by the physician or scientist. This is important because whenever an electrode is improperly attached to the skin, becomes wholly or partially detached from the skin, or moves about the skin during the monitoring process, any data generated by the machine thereafter likely will be inaccurate, and therefore, unreliable. Unreliable data obtained in the course of treating of a human patient may cause the patient's condition to be misdiagnosed. Misdiagnosis, in turn, can cause the physician to perform unnecessary steps, such as prescribing medicine or undertaking surgery, which can harm the patient. Alternatively, misdiagnosis can lead the physician to conclude further treatment is not needed, when further treatment actually is needed, and perhaps is even needed to save the patient's life.
Since it is important that electrodes be correctly and securely attached to a patient's skin, it is unfortunate that existing means for attaching electrodes are not optimally designed to achieve this purpose. One existing device for attaching an electrode to skin involves using a device having two parts. One part attaches to the skin, and the other part, which is coupled to an electrode, connects to the first part, thereby connecting the electrode to the skin. Existing electrode connection devices of this kind are not optimal because it is difficult to connect and disconnect their two parts when one of the parts is attached to skin. For example, some of these connection devices contain several movable parts, each of which must be finely manipulated in concert to achieve connection or disconnection. Having to make such fine and precisely timed manipulations can be frustrating to the user, namely because the user often will have to make several attempts before successfully connecting or disconnecting the parts. Further, having to make fine and precise manipulations makes it more likely that the user will only partially connect the parts.
Some existing two-part electrode connecting devices are not optimal because they do not always enable a secure connection to be made, thereby increasing the likelihood that the connecting parts will accidentally disconnect. This problem is likely to arise when a patient is being monitored for an extended period of time, and is especially likely to occur when a patient is sleeping, for example, when tossing and turning by the patient often cause tension between the two parts. Whenever these parts accidentally disconnect, a health care provider must physically reconnect the parts. This practice can be disruptive both to the nurse and the patient, especially when the nurse is busy and is needed to perform other duties and the patient needs to rest as part of the recovery process. It can also increase the overall healthcare cost per patient.
As a specific example of an existing electrode connection device having suboptimal connectivity of parts, in one particular device the device includes a nipple-like member, which is attachable to skin, and an electrode wire connected to a coupling device such as a ring-like member or the clip, wherein the ring-like member or a clip is placeable around a smooth and slight indentation in the wall of the nipple-like member. In this arrangement, the ring-like member may be slid over the top of the nipple-like member and rested within its indentation, or the clip may be clipped to the nipple-like member. The problem with the design of this particular device is that the indentation does not have a lip or other like-component for preventing the ring-like member from slipping away from the nipple-like member. Therefore, the connection made between the ring-like member or clip and the nipple-like member is not a particular secure one even when the ring-like member or clip and the nipple-like member are clean and dry. Worse, when sweat and oil of the patient infiltrate the connection between the ring-like member or clip and the nipple-like member, which they are prone to do, the ring-like member or clip is even more likely to accidentally become disengaged from the nipple-like member.
What is needed therefore is a system for securely attaching an electrode to skin to prevent it from moving about the skin or from becoming detached from the skin during normal use, such as when it collects sweat and oil from a patient and when it is attached to a sleeping patient. Further, what is needed is an electrode connection system that is easy to use. In particular, it should be easy for users of the electrode connection system to quickly swap electrode wires when desired.